Three Plates In Life
Categories exist in all walks of life. We see categories for industries, i.e. Consumer Packaged Goods, Technology, Transportation. When it comes to life, three categories that can be applied are the Career, Financial and Personal Category. We can think of these categories as spinning on brook sticks. When all 3 are spinning our life can be in balance, but when one falls off the broomstick or teeters, that is when things become stressful.
Approaching life with these 3 categories can help you assess the level of stress that will endure as you make a decision in life. For example, let’s say you are offered a new job that requires you to relocate. Now this change will directly impact your career as you will be starting a new job and it will impact your personal life as you will undergo the stress associated with moving and leaving behind your current ecosystem. For the financial component, this change could offset the career and personal impact as the position may pay more money. Before you embark on this type of journey, assess your well being and determine if you have the mindset to have both of these plates in life impacted.
These three categories can also be great conversation starters. When somebody inquires “How are things going”, simply break down your status into these categories and give a quick update on them. “I’m working at so and so, keeping the checks coming in and lately I have seen our friend.”
Boiling life down into three categories can help with impacts on changes you want to make. The next time you have a decision to make in life, assess the impact to the three plates and assess your ability to overcome the changes to more than one plate at a time.